Boil water advisory will go on until at least Wednesday in Livonia

It now looks like Livonia will have the boil water advisory in place a little longer than expected.

A news release from Mayor Dennis Wright's office issued Monday afternoon said the boil water advisory currently in place will continue now until at least Wednesday. City officials had originally projected it would be lifted no later than Tuesday when it was put into place this past weekend.

"The boil water advisory will remain in effect until the GLWA (Great Lakes Water Authority), the region's water provider, notifies the City that their tests confirm that no bacterial contamination is present," the release stated.

A message seeking more information from the Great Lakes Water Authority was left early Monday evening.

The entire city has been on a boil water advisory since Saturday, when officials said a power outage cause water pressure at a Livonia pumping station to drop. When water pressure drops, the chances of harmful bacteria entering drinking water increase.

While the advisory remains in effect for Livonia, there are no indications that the water is contaminated with any harmful bacteria; the measure is being done as a precautionary measure. The boil water advisory in the southwest portion of Farmington Hills was lifted early Monday afternoon.

Officials ask residents bring drinking water from the tap to a boil for at least one minute before cooling and drinking it. Usage of water for purposes other than consumption, such as washing dishes or watering plants, is safe.

The city said it will issue a notice when the boil water advisory has been lifted.

Assistant Director of Public Works Brian Wilson said Monday morning that two rounds of testing are done by the GLWA in order to make sure no harmful bacteria is present.

"They have to actually build a culture there to detect the presence of bacteria there," he said. "They do a first round of testing and 24 hours later, they do another round of testing."

Livonia Public Schools said schools within Livonia's city limits will see some bottled water delivered to buildings, though parents are encouraged to send their children with bottles of water to school this week as temperatures flirt with 90 degrees.

The district also said measures are being taken to keep students cool as the boil water advisory continues.

"These measures include drawing classroom shades, keeping lights off, rotating students in and out of air conditioned areas of the schools (LMCs, computer labs) and ensuring students are staying well hydrated," the district posted on its website. "Additionally, district staff has been monitoring temperatures in classrooms throughout the district."

The district said it is up to parents whether they feel they need to keep their children out of school because of the heat and the boil water advisory.